As a kid in the early 1970′s, I was subjected to endless hours of listening to “The Carpenters” on albums and 8-track courtesy of my parents who loved the popular duo of Karen and Richard Carpenter.
I liked their music and all, as much as a pre-teen kid could, but it was hard to get psyched up to the sounds of “Rainy Days and Mondays” as you are hurtling down the freeway at high speeds….
As I grew up and my musical tastes expanded and flourished, I came to appreciate that The Carpenters not only made great music and had great classic songs but I also came to realize…
Karen Carpenter has the best singing voice I have ever heard. Even to this day, I have yet to hear anyone that can touch her. Now, I can be bombing down the freeway and “Rainy Days and Mondays” will come on the radio and I still am amazed at how beautiful of a voice she had.
The Carpenters were very popular during the 1970′s. The duo started in 1968 and charted 30 singles during their short career. Twenty-two of those songs hit the top-10 on the charts. They won 3 Grammy Awards.
Karen Carpenter died in 1983 from Heart Failure related to anorexia, a disease she had been fighting most of her life. She was 32 years old.
Through endless classics like “Rainy Days and Mondays”, “Close to You”, “Superstar”, “We’ve only just begun”, “I won’t last a day without you”, and countless others……her music will live on forever.
I agree, the best female singer of all time.
I love a deep voice in a female anyway, but the range of her voice, easing up for the soft notes, ramping up when she needed to…….. easily the best voice I have ever heard.
Listening to her voice as I type this (For All We Know) brings back so many memories (52 years old) and nearly some tears.
My early high school years were filled with her voice and it made that time all the more enjoyable. It’s great to know that I can get back there by putting the earphones in and hitting buttons on an iPod.
I know, im only 27, i would know that this way before my time she actualy died when i was born, i to apreciate a good sound quality such as karens voice, not to mention that i also suffer from what she died of too kina hard to get rid off but when i listen to her music its just like for an instance i feel like some understands how i feel.
Good luck to you Kim! The whole Karen Carpenter/Anorexia thing is tragic. I wish you well. I still think, very strongly, that Karen Carpenter had the most beautiful voice I have ever heard in my 45yrs. No one today can come close to her. Maybe her tragic death did some small part to shed more light on Anorexia with the general public. I know that I really knew very little about it before she passed away. Have a great Day!
No question about it. She had the most beautiful natural voice I ever heard. Her alto tone and clarity were exceptional. It I had to pick a best ever soprano voice, it might be Judy Collins
i lov karen carpenter her angelic voice & romantic songs ………… & i also liten the songs of laura branigan’s rock song i love them both
Tons of artist here I’ve enjoyed reading about and listening too. But when it comes to Karen Carpenter no one can touch her. She had the smoothest, most flawless delivery I’ve ever heard. I’m a drummer for almost 40 years now and have played with some great talent and heard some beautiful voices but they all take a back seat to Karen. Something very soothing about her delivery not to mention the recordings tended to be very, very good. She is missed even to this day and I still listen to the Carpenters all the time. Thanks for sharing about the golden voice.
I just wish I would have had the chance to see her in person. Did any of you?
It is like butter. Her voice is so creamy-delicious it gives me chills.